Initiative:
Avery Protagoniste
[6]Atrius Tang
[4]Derm
[3]Cookies Mcsalsa
[3]Auguste
n/aDo a jump run across the lava, heading over, then through the shortest distance to safe ground, then begin running to the nearest stairs.
Strength roll
[5]Seeing that now is a do-or-die moment you prepare a running start in order to jump over the lava as much as humanly possible. Of course jumping over the lava itself is impossible as far as humans are concerned but you can at least shorten the distance you need to run. You get some good distance and now you only need to run the final stretch.
Endurance roll
[6-2 It's freaking lava]You bite your tongue and ignore the pain running on lava usually entails. By the time you reach the stairs you lose all feeling in your feet. Guess the nerves were fried or something like that.
When you look down to check (you know in order to make sure they're okay and all) you notice that they got covered in an obsidian coating. You assume that this protected them from the worst the lava had to offer. As a matter of fact, you believe that this coating is the only reason why you are still able to stand after losing control of your Achilles tendon and other important bits. Don't expect them to protect you from lava again though, you were just VERY lucky.
Atrius:Go up the stairs again to the third floor. Go clockwise (opposite the direction of the bridge) until I reach the rotating bridge. Try to stop anyone trying to get across (Probably Derm at the moment?). Grab and punch into submission, rather than knocking them away.
(Or partial action if it's too much for one action)
You turn away from the bright light and begin to climb upstairs.
(Normally, you would strike first due to higher initiative but since you are far away from your target you will have to roll to compare speed.)
Derm speed
[4-1 initiative gap]Your speed
[5-1 distance penalty]You arrive and see the magnificent third floor, but it doesn't matter. You have a mission, to kill mages. And you just have happen to find one trying to run to the rotating platform. From the moment you layed eyes on him, you felt a connection, as if you two were destined to fight each other, doomed to be rivals for all eternity. You can't let him go, he must not escape.
So you decide to take a short-cut.
*ZOOM*With your superhuman strength, you jump up high in the air and land right next to you target. The platform cracks with the power of your might. You could have killed him right there if you wanted to, but you won't repeat the same mistake you made with the previous mage. You need to secure his aspect.
Atrius grab roll
[6-1 one handed penalty]Derm Evasion
[5]You put your left arm forward first hoping to grab him, but then you stop when you realize your mistake. Your left arm is holding your aspect. Unless you want to drop it you aren't grabbing him with that one. By the time you switch to your right arm he had already fled beyond your grasp.
Maybe it would have been better if you just killed him earlier.
"Unless you want me to cast some sort of spell, you should probably put me in your satchel. You would have got him if you weren't carrying me"understanding roll
[5]
You know, that comment is very out of character for most aspects. They hate the sensory deprivation caused by the loss of physical contact. Usually, they would only recommend something like that in life-threatening situations. But you are
Atrius Tang; Muscle Mage Extraordinaire! How can you possibly be in a life-threatening situation?
As you finish your thought you hear a loud shriek...
run to the rotating platform, and get access to whatever platform I can after.
Also check self for mystery magic powers I may have absorbed without my notice earlier
You dash South West trying to intercept the rotating platform before it reached the bridge. You had just made it when suddenly you saw Him.
He was flying through the air. At first didn't mind but it then became increasingly apparent that he was straight flying towards you. At the realization of your new danger, you became incredibly nervous since your platform had not arrived at the southern bridge yet.
Then he landed. There was a loud boom and the ground cracked beneath his feet. While recovering from the shock you began to size up your opponent. He was larger than any man you had ever seen and his entire body was covered in thick muscle. You then saw the aspect in his hand. Based on the symbol engraved on it, you determined that it was an aspect of might.
Normally you would snark about how muscle magic isn't real magic, but even you have to admit that you might be f***ed.
Suddenly he thrust his left arm at you. By the time you noticed it was already too late, there was no way you would be able to dodge his attack, but suddenly he stopped. Not interested in pondering why you immediately began to run. Thankfully the platform just arrived at the bridge so you didn't run off of a cliff. Unfortunately, he managed to follow you across.
Time to prepare for round two. This time you've regained your bearings, he won't catch you off guard again.
will roll
[4]Your concentration is momentarily broken by the sound of a high pitched shriek.
Run to the next floor, then find yet another aspect.
Seeing that the bottom floor is about to be covered in lava you decide to run upstairs, maybe find another aspect. And look at that! There's one conveniently on the floor right next to a mage staring at a sign. Ooh Gimme...
Speed Roll
[1]Suddenly, the sphere seems to gain a mind of it's own and begins rolling towards the stairs. You tried to run up to it and catch it but you couldn't make it in time. All you could do is watch in horror as the aspect falls into the lava... AGAIN!!!
This time, rather than a red flame, a brown bull the size of a German Shepard emerges from the lava instead. It's also made of flames. The mage just keeps staring at the sign, not noticing the bull at all.
The bull stares at you menacingly.
"Well, it doesn't look like he's going to live, I did what I could. Aspect, it was nice being with you, but I have ultimately decided to give up on my sorcerous ways, I wish you good luck in the world, and bid you good day."
Toss the aspect into the arena and search for a way to leave.
Pronunciation roll
[1]"Well, it doesn't look like he's going to live, it's all your fault. Aspect, it was a miserable time being with you and with this latest failure, I've decided that you've outlived your uselessness. I will not be using you for magic ever again. Good bye."Understanding roll
[1]"Please, no!! Don't do this too me. I don't want to leave you yet."Well, it would be cruel and after saving your life, maybe you should keep him around a bit longer. You owe him after all.
After deciding to keep your aspect, you leave the dead guard corpse completely unlooted and go through the vomitorium to your right. You don't find the exit but you do find a sign that points in the direction of the exit, how convenient.
Awareness roll
[6]You hear the footsteps of one guard walking in your direction and the footstep of one guard walking away from your direction. Just walking though, not running which probably means that they don't know that you're here.
Auguste Vernier, your sphere continues to glow brighter.
Derm, your sphere is still in it's original state.
Atrius, your sphere is now ever-so brighter than usual.
The lava has completely coated the first floor. It the begins to flow into the chasm. Guess no more changes to lava now.
Grey guy is guard, portal is obvious.
Derm
Equipment: Wizard robes, satchel,
Inventory: Aspect of grails, Longsword
Left hand: Empty
Right hand: Cup of Super Acid
Effects: -1 to agility rolls that require hands
Cookies Mcsalsa
Equipment: Wizard robes, satchel,
Inventory: Empty
Left hand: Severed
Right hand: Empty
Effects: -1 to agility rolls that require hands
Avery Protagoniste
Equipment: Wizard robes, satchel,
Inventory: Empty
Left hand: Empty
Right hand: Empty
Effects: none
Auguste Vernier
Equipment: Wizard robes, satchel,
Inventory: Empty
Left hand: aspect of time
Right hand: Empty (Injured)
Effects: -1 to agility rolls that require hands
Status: Injured right hand, if an action is performed with the right hand, roll for endurance to determine the effects of pain. This includes actions like carrying stuff with your right hand. Specify which hands you want to use for an action.
Atrius Tang
Equipment: Wizard robes, satchel,
Inventory: Empty
Left hand: aspect of might
Right hand: Empty
Effects: -1 to agility rolls that require hands. All strength checks auto succeed. +1 to endurance. Dynamic penalty to any rolls that require sight.
Status: Buff, Eyes damaged, Eyes closed,
Greeny McEmerald
Equipment: Wizard robes, handbag,
Inventory: Empty
Left hand: aspect of cows
Right hand: Empty
Effects:-1 to agility rolls that require hands
About the flames that Derm absorbed. Those were originally part of a now scrapped level up mechanic. Essentially what would happen is that if you break an aspect, it would fly into you. After you accumulated enough aspects, then the next 6 you rolled would determine which stat would gain a permanent +1 bonus. I only added it because I thought to myself "My game must have a leveling up mechanic". As a shoehorned in mechanic, there was no narrative justification for it and it had many balancing issues. For example, why not break every aspect I see so I become such a god that I can just steal the requisite 10 for victory on my next turn, why are the aspects sacrificing themselves to empower the mages that killed their former masters. After deciding that a loot based progression system was perfectly adequate, I scrapped it.
Anyway, you guys will like my new set of consequences for breaking an aspect much better. I promise you that. This was actually the original intent, but The Manipulator's aspect was drained of too much power for it to take effect and afterwards I just forgot it.
As for what happened to the aspects that were already absorbed, let's just say that they flew out of the arena while nobody was looking.
Author
Topic: The Magicians Marathon of Magical Murder: Cuthulu kills everyone (Read 26133 times)